The Invisible Sentence is gripping, uplifting, and challenging. It’s a life-transforming book, too important to miss.
Biography
Verna Mary McFelin, MNZM is a New Zealand author, blogger, speaker, and expert in the field of the ‘invisible sentence’ served by the families of prisoners outside of the wire. In 1983, in a bombshell for Verna’s husband, Paul, was arrested for kidnapping and sentenced to 11 years in jail. As the result of her journey, in 1988 she founded Pillars, and organisation that helps prisoners' families.
Recognition
2010, Verna was awarded the Oranga Kaupapa personal award in recognition of her work with the families of prisoners.
2011, awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community and, in the same year, was called to the Beehive to receive the “He Mana to ia Tamaiti - Every Child Counts Award” for improving the well-being of children and providing support for their families in New Zealand.
2014, Pillars received the Champion Canterbury Business Awards for Charity Award Small Enterprise.
2018, awarded the highest Rotarian Award, the Paul Harris Fellowship for her services to children.
2018 and 2019, finalist in the Next Woman of the Year Award.
2019, Pillars took out the Mitre 10 Community of the Year Award at the New Zealander of the Year Awards under Verna’s leadership.
19 May 2018, Pillars celebrated its 30th anniversary the same day as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, announced that New Zealand’s gift to the couple would be a donation of $5,000 to Pillars. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Pillars to ‘unwrap their gift’ by presenting awards of excellence to four of the children.
2017, Verna is a founding member of INCCIP (inccip.org), the International Coalition for Children of Incarcerated Parents and co-organised the inaugural conference in Rotorua, New Zealand.
TEDX talk: ‘Invisible Children’
The Invisible Sentence
NZ$26.99
Riveting from start to finish… Verna McFelin’s gripping account of her life after her husband’s arrest and incarceration for kidnapping is a stirring, enthralling and inspirational story. Her life of hardship and poverty is laced with the reality of God’s miraculous love and filled with expressions of her enthralling relationship with God, and her love for her children, and the multiple people she meets and supports along the way.
Verna’s and her children’s lives changed forever when police knocked on her door one evening and her husband was arrested for a kidnapping then tried and sentenced to eleven years in jail. While visiting various prisons over the next few years, Verna realised that the families of prisoners were also serving their own invisible sentences outside the prison wire. It is absolutely fascinating, packed with Christian lessons, and is an extremely inspiring read. “The Invisible Sentence comes very highly recommended by Chick Lit Café – and we declare it the must-read, 5-star memoir of the year!”
“… a story of institutional maltreatment, of bureaucratic indifference, of the traumatisation and bullying of her children, of individual acts of cruelty and generosity, of hardship, of the value of collective strength and support, and resilience and faithfulness in the face of adversity. —Sir Kim Workman KNZM, QSO
The sequel to this book, Pillars of Strength, is the compelling story of Verna’s 32-years as founder and chief executive of Pillars and will be available shortly.
“When Verna McFelin’s book arrived in the mail I had a line-up of books to read but couldn’t resist a little taste. Four chapters later I had to tear myself away because of home duties. After a couple of nights, I reached the last page feeling enlightened, enriched, and encouraged. I am keen to reread it because it is full of gems of truth. ‘The Invisible Sentence’ is gripping, uplifting, and challenging. It is a life-transforming book, too important to miss.” —Ruth Corbett, author
Verna’s author website and blog: vernamcfelin.com
Format: Paperback | 144 pages
Dimensions: 152(w) x 229(h) x 7.6mm(s) | 235g
ISBN13: 978-0-473-56277-9
Publisher: Verna McFelin with Wild Side Publishing
Publication Date: March 2021
Publication country: New Zealand
Blog Posts
Freedom is not necessarily free
I am an evangelical Christian. Yes, the kind that is referred to as “a motley crew” protesting in Wellington right now. So, if we are “brothers and sisters in Christ” and we hear from the same God, then I ask myself, why do I have such repulsion and almost embarrassment for what is happening in front of Parliament buildings here in our lovely country of New Zealand?
There’s No Hate Like Christian Love
Spend two minutes talking to someone outside of the Christian faith and you’re most likely going to hear a list of complaints they have about Christians and churches. Or they just don’t want to hear about Christians, what we say or do, or the God we serve.
Book Reviews
The McFelin family learned that, in whatever circumstances they faced, God had a redemptive plan to bring ‘peace to troubled waters.’
Pastors David and Denise Cooper, Empower Church, Christchurch
It is a story of institutional maltreatment, bureaucratic indifference, the traumatisation and bullying of her children, of the value of collective strength and support, and resilience and faithfulness in the face of adversity.
Sir Kim Workman KNZM, QSO
This book will move you, surprise you and restore a faith and hope in you to never give up.
David Collins, author of The Storyteller
Events
Book Launch Christchurch: The Invisible Sentence by Verna McFelin MNZM
Verna McFelin’s book launch for The Invisible Sentence
Book Launch Oamaru: The Invisible Sentence by Verna McFelin MNZM
Verna McFelin’s book launch for The Invisible Sentence